CHICAGO, Ill. – The Illinois State men's basketball team used a 9-0 run over a two-minute span late in the game to turn a five-point deficit with 3:09 to play in the game into a four-point advantage, as ISU held on for an exciting 81-79 win over the UIC Flames on Wednesday night.
Chase Walker had a career night, scoring a game-high 31 points on 10-of-14 shooting from the field, making his only three-point attempt, and 10-of-13 from the charity stripe. Jordan Davis made a career-high five three-pointers, scoring a season-high 17 points, while Malachi Poindexter scored a dozen points for the Birds.
Walker's nine rebounds were a game-high, as Ty Pence added eight boards off the bench for ISU, with an assist, a block, and a steal. Walker and Dalton Banks each dished out four assists in the win. The Redbirds had 17 assists against just eight turnovers for the game, the 12th time this season that ISU has had single-digit turnovers in a game.
The Redbirds stay on the road, traveling to Cedar Falls, Iowa, to take on the Northern Iowa Panthers in a 5 p.m. battle on ESPNU on Saturday, February 8.
The Flames started the game strong, jumping out to a 7-2 lead through the first two minutes of the game before the visiting Redbirds scored eight in a row, three from Davis and five from Johnny Kinziger, to put ISU ahead for the first time in the game. The half was back-and-forth, with the lead changing hands nine times with four tie scores over the opening 20 minutes; however, a 10-2 ISU run put the visitors up by 11 and the Birds led 45-37 heading into the locker room at halftime.
UIC scored the first eight points of the second half, knotting the score at 45 and it was a back-and-forth battle for the remainder of the half. The largest lead either team would get over the last 18 minutes of the game would be five points, as the hosts got back-to-back three-pointers, putting the Flames up 74-69 with 3:09 to play in the game. The Redbirds answered with a three-pointer from Davis, and a possession later a three-pointer from Poindexter to put ISU back ahead. The next time down the floor Walker converted on a three-point play to extend the Redbird advantage to four, and the team made three-of-four free throws down the stretch to secure the two-point win.
ISU was 27-of-52 (51.9%) from the field, while making 11-of-23 (47.8%) from long range and 16-of-21 (76.2%) from the free throw line. It was ISU's 10th game this season with shooting splits of at least .500/.400/.750, which is the fifth-most in a season by an NCAA school since 2004-05.
The Flames were led by Tyem Freeman who scored 18 points, while Jordan Mason scored 15, Javon Jackson 12, and Sasa Ciani 10.
TEAM NOTES
- Illinois State used a starting lineup of 3 Dalton Banks, 4 Landon Wolf, 5 Jordan Davis, 11 Johnny Kinziger, and 35 Chase Walker
- It was the fifth time this season ISU has used this starting lineup
- The Redbirds won the opening tip
- The first points of the game came from Chase Walker on a lay-in with 19:16 to play in the first half
- It was the first time this season scored ISU's first points of the game
- The first sub for Illinois State was Caden Boser with 17:50 to play in the first half
- Illinois State led 45-37 at halftime
- The team had its 12th game this season with single-digit turnovers, tied for the most in a season since 1988-89
- With shooting splits of .519/.478/.762 on FG/3FG/FT, the Redbirds now have 10 games this season with splits of at least .500/.400/.750, the most in the country, and fifth-most by a school since 2004-05
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
- Jack Daugherty
- With his first-half three-pointer, he moved past Johnny Kinziger into eighth place in single-season three-pointers by a freshman
- Malachi Poindexter
- Scored in double-figures for the second straight game, sixth time this season and 33rd time in his Redbird career
- Dalton Banks
- Tied for the team lead in assists, his 15th game this season leading or tying for the team lead in assists
- Jordan Davis
- Scored in double-figures for the third time this season and 10th of his career
- His 17 points are a season-high
- Made a career-high five three-pointers
- Ty Pence
- Tied his career-high with eight rebounds
- Chase Walker
- Has scored 20+ points for a third consecutive game
- Reached double-figure scoring for the 18th time this season and 19th time in his career
- Had the first 30-point scoring game of his career, and ISU's first since Johnny Kinzgier scored 31 against Indiana State on February 13, 2024
- His 10 made field goals tied his career-high originally set on December 15 against Saint Louis
- Tied for the team lead with four assists and pulled down a game-high nine rebounds
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